TORONTO, ON - March 11, 2016 /CNW/ - Throughout the course of the last few weeks, teams representing corporations in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto raised more than $600,000 for prostate cancer research and supportive care by completing Prostate Cancer Canada's (PCC) Step Up Challenge, presented by Scotiabank.

The Step Up Challenge involves teams of five competing in a 5,000 foot race up a number of the tallest skyscrapers in Canada's largest cities.

"The Step Up challenge is an excellent way to bring people together to work toward a common goal," said Rocco Rossi, President & CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada. "Not only did everyone who participated demonstrate great team spirit and physical wellbeing, but they also did their part for cancer research by raising vital awareness and funds for the 1 in 8 Canadian men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime."

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Come one, come all! Global News Toronto Anchor Alan Carter hosted Toronto's Step Up challenge, you can watch coverage from the event by clicking the above video.

Prostate Cancer Canada wants to take this time to congratulate EllisDon and Great Gulf on their neck-and-neck battle for first place. In addition to being really fast climbers, both teams were the leading fundraisers on a national level, raising nearly $100K each. 

"I want to personally thank everyone involved for taking on this challenge and helping us raise more than $600,000. We are absolutely thrilled to have so much support," said Christopher Wein, President Great Gulf and National Chair Prostate Cancer Canada's Step Up Challenge 2016. "Because of everyone's enthusiasm and commitment, we can continue to fund important research to improve the lives of those affected by prostate cancer. Participating in this intense event with committed teams in all three cities was truly overwhelming and inspiring."

"Congratulations to all the dedicated and enthusiastic teams who took part in the Step Up Challenge across Canada this year, raising money for such an important cause," said Peter Slan, Senior Vice President at Scotiabank. "Scotiabank believes in the importance of building stronger and healthier communities, which is why we are proud to continue to support this important event."

Prostate Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men. 2015 brought an estimated 24,000 diagnoses across the country, and 4,100 deaths. Men should talk to their doctor about screening for prostate cancer. A Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test is an early option when assessing personal risk. The PSA test is a simple blood test, taken from your arm, which measures the amount of prostate antigen in your blood. PCC recommends men get a PSA test in their 40s to establish their baseline. Before taking the test, as part of the shared and informed decision making process, men should discuss the potential benefits and limitations of the test with their primary care provider.

About Prostate Cancer Canada
Prostate Cancer Canada is the leading national foundation dedicated to the prevention of the most common cancer in men through research, advocacy, education, support and awareness. As one of the largest investors in prostate cancer research in Canada, Prostate Cancer Canada is committed to continuous discovery in the areas of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and support. For more information please visit prostatecancer.ca or follow us on Twitter @ProstateCancerC or Facebook at Prostate Cancer Canada.

About Scotiabank
Through our global community investment strategy, Scotiabank and its employees support causes at a grassroots level. Recognized as a leader for our charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2015, Scotiabank contributed $67 million to help our communities around the world.

Scotiabank is Canada's international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 23 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 89,000 employees and assets of $920 billion (as at January 31, 2016), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). Scotiabank distributes the Bank's media releases using CNW. For more information, please visit www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankNews.